Reala: King of Nightmares
by Lady Spritzy
Summary: Reala decides to round up his "siblings". But where will this endeavor take him? M for language.
1. Into the Subordinate’s Tortured Mind

**Prologue: Into the Subordinate's Tortured Mind**

My Master is dead. I've come to terms with that. I know NiGHTS is the one who physically destroyed him, but why did he _really _die? Was it because of his inability to actually care about his subordinates? Or was it simply because he underestimated NiGHTS? Whatever the cause, Master Wizeman is dead.

Nightmare has no ruler, no _protector,_ anymore. What will become of us- we Marens that have only been taking orders all these nights? Will we fade away, or will we regroup? Will NiGHTS find us and try to destroy us as she once did?

Someone I knew once told me I was headed on one hell of a path. She never explained herself, but gave me a coin that I remember acts as a badge of her office. That, and my odd eye. I'm still unsure as to the full extent of its power, but I figure I should have faith in Time, like she always told me to. Her name escapes me, but I remember her shining ruby eyes.

I want to find _all _of my siblings. I'm not sure where to even start looking, considering each of their outlandish hiding places. But let's think for a second here: All of them must still exist somewhere. I mean, how would I have been able to survive NiGHTS' onslaught on both myself and Master Wizeman and survive his death? Donbalon's not the type to travel, and neither is Puffy. Gillwing and Gulpo barely got along, so finding those two together is a long shot. Perhaps Jackle could be found with Chamelan- but then, where would that stealthy beast be hiding in the first place? And 'Queen' Bella never got along with much of anyone, and did her absolute best the keep far from the rest of us. Giriana hated Bomamba for the same reason Gulpo detested Klaws, which just makes extra work for me.

Then there's Cerberus. The Hellhounds would be ideal for finding the other Nightmaren. But how do I get the beasts to obey me? I've gotten them to listen before, but that was with the Master's help, and the Master's not here to help me now. Maybe they just need the right kind of control. But _what_ kind? Stern-yet-loving? Iron fists? Kid gloves? Mindless subordination? Or do they just need freedom, like NiGHTS did?

There's so much to think about when it comes to power. I'm almost surprised Master Wizeman was as sane as he was with all of that power. And now I'm trying to assemble my Nightmaren brethren once again: Will I be able to handle the task, or will I go insane with the effort?

I know where Cerberus will be: They always seemed to love the open plains, where they could hunt and run, like human dogs.

That trio will be my first challenge. I know that the best way to find all of my far spread siblings is to have the Hellhounds sniff them out. Who will they lead me to first? Card shark Jackle? Spindly Bella? Or will they drag me right back to traitorous NiGHTS, the last thing they were sent after before Master Wizeman was killed?

That wildcard. NiGHTS. What will I do when I see her again? The ruby-eyed gift giver told me to forget my mirror image, but I know I can't. Though I feel odd saying it, NiGHTS has been huge in my life- almost as huge as the Master. I've wanted badly to ask her a question that's been nagging at the back of my brain since she abandoned us all that Time ago- _Why?_

If I got that answer, maybe I'd feel better. Then again, I'll be just as likely to hate both the answer and NiGHTS all the more. I should probably just leave it up to Fate, to Destiny, but that's just so damn _hard_.

First things first, though- I've got to find the Maren that'll actually _listen_ to me. They need me a bit more urgently- or is it the other way around? Maybe I'm just lonely. Maybe I'm so used to the feeling of having someone watch over me or be at my shoulder that I go nuts when I'm alone. Maybe I'm just going nuts because of Master Wizeman's death, and that's driving me to think that I need company.

I'm not quite sure of anything right now. The only thing I can think of that can even be considered anything _near_ real is action. There's so many things jumbled up in my head right now that the future's a blur, and the recent past has faded to an extreme kind of dim. But actions, happenings, _doings_ are solid, real. They're probably the only thing that will keep me anchored to the world for a while. At least until I can pull out of this psychotic maelstrom and just soar for a bit.

My mind seems to have kicked into high gear, flashing so quickly through all scenarios that I can't process them, but I still feel them. From most of them I get the same, distressing knot of fear, anxiety, and disgusting realizations that I can't rid myself of, no matter how hard I try to forget.

Truly, the only thing I can do right now is just take this task one step at a Time. Cerberus first- the rest can wait for the Hellhounds. When the beasts are tamed, I'll be off to find then next, and the chain reaction will continue until all of my siblings are united again.

But then what?

_AN: Alrighty, disclaimer time. Don't own NiGHTS, Reala, Nightmare, or anything that came from ever-wonderful Sonic Team and SEGA._


	2. The Taming of the Hellhounds

**Chapter 1: The Taming of the Hellhounds**

Nightmare is huge. I never had to serch the whole thing before, since NiGHTS usually kept to Nightopia. Hell, I think I know that realm better than my own by now. But Cerberus won't be there: None of them really cared for the brightness of the place. Neither do I, for that matter.

The darkness doesn't phase me since my eyes are built for the dark. In some places, there's nothing to see, and in others, it's not what I want to see. I've been serching ever since I revived, but I've had absolutely no luck.

The borders of Nightopia have been tempting me to try sifting through the light for my disbanded siblings, but I know the only things I'll find there are Nightopians and NiGHTS, and I don't think I'll be able to handle that mirror image of mine just yet.

I find it intriguing that people always think badly of Nightmare. It's actually quite beautiful if you spend enough Time here. When Master Wizeman was still alive, I had absolutely no Time to enjoy the wonderful place he had created. I wonder if the Master ever realized the simple beauty of his creations?

A _crack_ sounds below me, and I turn my gaze to the ground. A flash of gold in the darkness, and I can make out three bulbous forms. The Hellhounds! I dive, whistling through the air toward the glow. Almost there...

"Fuck!" I scream as teeth rip at my lower arm. I dart up to get out of range and cradle my wounded and bleeding arm to my chest. Curse Master Wizeman for giving me the ability to bleed!

"Cerberus!" I roar, putting my pain and anger into strengthening the call, "I've come to reunite the Nightmaren. I need your help to find them. Will you aid me?"

Teeth flash out, trying to shred me into miniscule strips. I duck and dodge, glad for all the Times I combated NiGHTS. I can clearly make out one of the Hounds- the red one. His collar gleams gold, taunting me. If I can just get a grip on that chain, I might be able to get control of the Hounds. While I float thinking, pain shoots through my back, causing another screamed curse to escape my lips.

I soar upward, looking down once I'm sure I'm out of range to see both the red and blue Hounds, bound together by their flickering chain.

What would happen if I broke that chain? Logic tells me all three Hounds would have an easy dinner. But maybe not…

A yellow light gleams, and the third Hound appears, rallying the other two with barks, yelps, and howls. They are obviously excited; my blood is already in two of their mouths. One fuck up here will probably end with my destruction, but if I can sway them towards my cause, all of Nightmare will benefit from it.

My eyes wander back to that chain. If I break it, I'm almost assured the beasts will attack me. If I don't break it, I might have a chance at reigning them in. If I separate them, two things are bound to happen: they'll either freeze in confusion for a few seconds, then split up and come after me, or they'll skip the first part, leaving me to wonder how high they can go.

Is it worth the risk- one very small chance vs. the entire realm of Nightmare?

I go into a Drilldash, aiming my spinning form as best as I can towards the taught links connecting the yellow and blue- I just hope they don't realize what I'm doing before I get there and get closer to each other, making my task all but impossible.

They don't, and though the chain is thick, I get lucky enough to find the weak link. Part of the link bends under my blow, and I rise above Cerberus' heads before they can snap at me. I look down and note in dismay that all three Hounds are bunching together, covering one another's flanks. How do I get to those links now?

For a few moments I hang in the air, suspended above the Hellhounds. I float mindlessly to one side, and three sets of eyes follow me. I blink, gaining a small bit of inspiration. I let myself float in the other direction, and watch as all three Hounds stare at me.

It's risky, but I'll go for it.

I dart under the blue's legs, and flash in front of red's nose, and streak past all three of them, stopping for only and instant while I change my direction. I see both links suspended in midair, and charge them.

This time I hurt myself as well as the chains. My arm is now bent funny, the palm of my hand facing forward instead of backward, but, in some kind of cosmic compensation, one link is bent enough to be easily noticed, and the other has a relatively large dent in it.

This time, I think I'll try to have the Hound break its chain. I hover in front of the blue and snap my fingers to make sure I've got its attention. I then streak away, not looking back as I put on as much speed as possible.

I hear a metallic noise behind me, and energetic paw falls behind me. I chance a look backwards- the blue is free!

"Look!" I cry, getting as high as I can before stopping above the Hound, "You're free; will you not help me in my endeavors, Cerberus?" The blue skids to a halt, and looks at the collar with the broken chain still attached. It then turns its eyes up to me, and barks, gesturing to its siblings with its head. "I'll help the other two if they won't attack me," I call down, hoping I understand the beast's intent, and hoping the blue understands mine.

The blue lets out a series of barks, howls, and yips, and the other two slow down as they near their sibling. When the blue finishes, the red and yellow look expectantly up at me- at least, I hope it's expectation and not hunger I see in their eyes.

"You want me to separate you, right?" I ask warily, trying to be cautious. The trio barks in unison. "All right, I'll see what I can do, but you have to make the chain tight, otherwise it won't break."

The red and the yellow look at each other, then walk in opposite directions, making their golden chain taught. I fly slowly above, my eyes easily picking out the dented chain. I dive, my body spinning in a Drilldash, and ram into the golden link, making the dent deeper. The Hounds inspect my work, and roar in anger at me as I climb out of their reach.

"Pull! Run in opposite directions and rip the chain apart!" I yell down, still wondering how high Cerberus can jump.

The red and yellow glance at each other, then with a mighty howl from the entire trio, they dart away from each other, and with a metallic screech, the chain is split in to, the golden link I dented lies on the ground, gleaming in the dim light of Nightmare.

"Will you help me?" I call as the three Hounds regroup. The blue looks up to me, then bows in canine fashion, the red and yellow following suit. I hover lower, and the blue offers its neck. "Alright," I say, patting the beast on the neck, "Let's go find the Nightmarens."

The blue is off in a flash, and I can hear the red and yellow behind us.

_AN: Wow. Chappie one. Since Reala's the NiGHTS character that I link with the best, I'm writing this from his point of view. And in present tense- which is quite the challenge for me. Hope you enjoy!_


End file.
